Killeen, Texas’ Central Texas College is using Biometric Signature ID’s biometric identification software, BioSig-ID, to verify some 50,000 students for online courses and boost the overall security of online logins.

Per a report from Planet Biometrics, the BioSig-ID security software authenticates students prior to logging in to the college’s learning management system. The solution sees students login with a hand-drawn password that cannot be duplicated by another individual.

The rollout, which includes Central Texas’ some 50,000 students, features monitoring capability with the software’s forensic suite and provides the college with early warnings to potential fraud or academic dishonesty. It was, in part, because of the student population, that the college needed a way to ensure students were who they claimed to be, as well as eliminate the chance of login credentials being shared for the purpose of cheating.

An ancillary benefit to the solution, the college also wanted to avoid loan fraud tied to fake students dropping classes before the withdrawal date — a practice that can enable fraudsters to pocket loan funds with little chance of recovery by universities.

Per the college’s official website regarding distance learning proctoring policies, recent Federal legislation requires that all online courses have a system implemented to verify students in all courses, hence the implementation of BioSig-ID.

Throughout the term, students will be prompted to validate their identity using the system, and BioSig-ID validation will be required during the course and prior to entering an exam. The college’s policy recommends a minimum of six validations should occur prior to entering the first exam.

When a student clicks on the exam they wish to take, they will be redirected to the BioSig-ID website to complete the signature validation. Once validated, the student is then returned to the exam to begin. This process, according to the college, is referred to as “gating.”

Central Texas has also provided an instructional video detailing the BioSig-ID enrollment process to provide further assistance to students.